The experience of our consultants goes well beyond interviewing techniques. Our ability to assess with accuracy the character, skills and competencies of candidates remains central to any search.
In this light, Spencer Stuart has recently implemented a standardized, sophisticated approach to candidate interviewing. This approach can be applied to any recruitment, as well as to assessing personal development, succession planning, promotion and compensation.
The Spencer Stuart assessment approach
Our assessment approach enables us to predict more accurately the level of success a candidate might achieve in a particular setting and position. Key components include: defining performance expectations through measurable, observable behaviours; determining the measurements for job success; using assessment questions that are closely linked to expected performance; analysing candidate behaviour; and focusing on how past behaviour in critical situations has determined success.
Adding value in interviewing
This approach can be adapted to the unique situations and standards associated with any given position and provides a consistent framework for an in-depth assessment of each candidate. It helps determine a precise definition of success and results in a more thorough assessment and description of the candidate. It focuses on how the candidate has behaved in similar circumstances in the past in order to arrive at a fact-based assessment.
The approach provides a common language, understanding and framework that can be applied across an entire organization making it possible to construct coherent, factual arguments in support of a candidate, and providing a straightforward structure for written comments and reports. Most importantly, it is a strong predictor of future success and as such, results in higher performing recruits who serve their organisations for longer.
Although this assessment model offers a structured framework for interviewing, it also allows for — indeed requires — a considerable degree of flexibility, personalisation, judgment and intuition. It provides evidence to back up the interviewer’s intuition and enables the interviewer to be more confident in asserting his or her assessment of a candidate.
The message behind this model is that a tailored approach is necessary, since every open position brings with it a unique set of circumstances. There is clear evidence that customising the interviewing approach increases its power. For instance, a candidate might use certain labels such as “great leader”, “strategic thinker”, “open-minded” repeatedly, so it is important to be able to substantiate such claims by identifying real situations in which these skills and behaviours have manifested themselves.
The importance of culture in an organisation cannot be underestimated, and our assessment model takes into account the need for a successful candidate to “fit in” and know how to behave in a range of situations. Aspects of behaviour should be embedded in the description of the candidate’s competencies.
Effective interview and assessment preparation
It is important that the main stakeholders of an open position (senior management, peers and functional reports) give honest, accurate and detailed information about their expectations for the role, as well as a clear set of requirements. Our experience is that this does not always happen, in which case the interviewer must obtain the information, using some of the same questions and techniques that will be employed in the candidate interview. Pushing the stakeholders a little can also bring key criteria to the surface in terms of job barriers or behaviours.
The interview and assessment framework
Our best practice approach revolves around three key elements, against which all candidates are assessed:
- Major responsibilities: where results and benefits to the organization can be clearly measured.
- Job barriers: problems and challenging situations that the function holder must master in order to successfully exercise his primary responsibilities.
- Key competencies: the behaviours and actions that successful candidates have already demonstrated in their careers and that will equip them to surmount barriers and deliver success in this particular environment.
There is a difference between job barriers and competencies. Job barriers are challenges that need to be overcome. Competencies are what the candidate needs to possess to overcome the barriers; they are a mixture of skills, attributes, knowledge and abilities.
Competencies should not be confused with experiences. Experiences are tangible, clear-cut (they have either happened or they have not), and easily identified. Competencies are the behaviours and actions that candidates must demonstrate to overcome job barriers in order to exercise their responsibilities.
Reaping the benefits of accurate interviewing
When used properly, the technique of interviewing candidates on their major responsibilities, job barriers and competencies, while assessing behaviours and actions, will increase the quality and depth of interviewing and vastly improve understanding of candidates. In addition, it will allow interviewers to be more focused in their questioning. Applying this model across the
board will extract a great deal of critical information that cannot be deduced from candidates’ CVs.
Some rules for interviewing
- Drill down: always try to learn about actions, not opinions
- Vary your style: weave these techniques into your normal interviewing approach
- Always use an interview guide and write out interview questions in advance
- Ask the same questions of all candidates
- Suspend your judgment until the end.
Conclusion
Many assessment systems measure knowledge, rather than the application of that knowledge. Our recommended approach to interviewing is based on the belief that past behaviour is an
effective predictor of future behaviour. It tests key competencies based not only on a candidate’s track record, but also on his or her ability to demonstrate actual skills used in specific situations.